Shahrzad Davani | Director & Producer

Shahrzad Davani has a distinguished career spanning 15 years as a premier assistant director to a long list of first and second-time directors in the independent film world.  This is not to take away from her tireless work to help put together movies as a producer on many Sundance, SXSW, and TIFF successfully packaged and sold independent films. It is not uncommon for directors to request Shahrzad to be their longtime first assistant director, she has an incredible ability to teach and guide novice and emerging filmmakers to great success in the editing room with their films.  She cares a great deal about how the art of storytelling can unfold in front of the camera.  She is gifted technically in all aspects of camera and filmmaking logistics. Highlights of Shahrzad’s 38 film titles are: Ana Lily Amirpour’s A Girl Who Walks Home Alone at Night & Bad Batch with Annapurna;  James Gunn’s Super, Lee Toland Krieger’s Celeste and Jesse Forever & The Vicious Kind,  Shira Piven’s Welcome to Me, Liza Johnson’sHateship Loveship, Ned Benson’s The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers and Jeff Baena’s Little Hours. 

Lindsay Lanzillotta | Producer

Lindsay Lanzillotta is an independent producer of critically acclaimed and award-winning films.  She is best known for producing writer/director Lee Toland Krieger's The Vicious Kind (Age of Adeline, Riverdale) starring Adam Scott (Step Brothers, Parks and Recreation), Oscar-winning actor JK Simmons (Whiplash, Justice League) and Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect 1, 2, 3); and Karyn Kusama's The Invitation (Girlfight, AEon Flux, Jennifer’s Body), written by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Clash of the Titans, Ride Along). The Vicious Kind was an Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated in 2010 for two Film Independent Spirit Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Male Lead.   Adam Scott won Best Performance at the Birmingham Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival and Best Actor at the Strasbourg International Film Festival.  It was also honored with the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Denver International Film Festival and won Best Narrative Feature at the New Orleans Festival.   

The Invitation was the opening night midnight selection of the 2015 SXSW and honored with the grand prize win at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Fest 2015, the International Critic's Award at the Neuchatel International Fantasy Film Festival and took best picture at the 48th Sitges Fantastic Film Festival in Spain, the highest regarded European Genre Film Festival.  The Invitation has graced many top ten lists of 2016.  Lindsay is a Toronto native and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

Elizabeth Meza | Producer

Elizabeth Meza is a San Diego born, LA-based producer and filmmaker. She has spent the earlier years of her career in various production positions from production assistant, script supervisor, to production designer. But it's these positions that have made it clear that her passion is in producing. Her short films "It's a Match" and "Red Dirt", with Director and Actor Arnold Chun, were successfully received at film festivals across the country. 

Elizabeth has spent the last three years working for the well-established camera house Panavision, garnering her experience assisting high volume productions and knowledge of the latest and greatest camera equipment the industry has to offer. She has also spent the last three years supporting the Pacific Arts Movement, an organization responsible for the production of the San Diego Asian Film Festival, where she became inspired to tell stories that are under-represented in Hollywood. 

This will be her first feature film as a producer.

Jeanne Tyson | Director of Photography 

Jeanne Tyson is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer and filmmaker. Her work includes narrative and documentary features, shorts, and series, and has been featured in film festivals worldwide.

Jeanne recently had the opportunity to be the DP on Gingerbread Giants, a holiday special for The Food Network, as well as on the series Give on NBC. Her current work includes several projects with Director Nicole Jones, a narrative feature with Director Shahrzad Davani, as well as a series on the Food Network with Showrunner Kate Kenny. 

Jeanne frequently lectures on cinematography, directing, and production. Some recent engagements include being an adjunct lecturer in the Department Film & Television at USC, the Film Independent Director’s Toolkit Series and the Warner Brothers Director’s Workshop. 

Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Jeanne earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and Theatre from Rhodes College, and an M.F.A. in Production and Cinematography from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television.

Nazanin Nour | Writer & Actress

Nazanin Nour is an actor and writer based in Los Angeles. She has appeared on network TV in such shows as Madam Secretary, Criminal Minds, and Political Animals. She also writes, directs, and stars in sketch comedy pieces for her YouTube Channel. Her standout videos have featured her most notable character, the Persian Mom, and have gone viral. 

She graduated with a B.A. from George Mason University, double majoring in Government & International Politics, and Communications, with a minor in Media Criticism. She stays politically active, is proud of her Iranian roots, and loves making people laugh. When she’s not busy on Instagram, she continues her pursuit of finding the perfect red velvet cupcake (with cream cheese frosting, of course). 

You can follow her multiple personalities on YouTube - Nazanin Nour, watch her act a fool on Instagram @frecklednaz, read her Twitter musings @NazaninNour, or visit her Facebook Page - Nazanin Nour.

Mitra Jouhari | Actress

Mitra Jouhari is a writer and performer based in Brooklyn, New York. She has written on “Miracle Workers” (upcoming on TBS) and “The President Show (Comedy Central) - for which she received a WGA Award Nomination for Writing on a Comedy/Variety Sketch Series. Prior to that, she was a staffer on “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” (TBS). Film/TV Acting Credits include The Big Sick, Broad City, Friends From College, Miracle Workers, The President Show, Full Frontal w/ Samantha Bee, as well as the short films “Places, Thank You, Places” and “Bangin’ Ideas.” She has also appeared in comedy videos for Comedy Central, The New Yorker, Above Average, Refinery29’s Riot, IFC, and more. She performs live comedy all around NYC and tours to other cities regularly. You can catch her co-hosting the monthly show “It’s A Guy Thing” (named one of the Top 10 Alt-Comedy Shows in NYC by Paste Magazine) as well as performing in Yardsale Comedy, comprised of the former members of the Holy Fuck Comedy Hour (also named one of the Top 10 Alt-Comedy Shows). She is one-third of the sketch group “Three Busy Debras”, whose self-titled play “Three Busy Debras” had a sold-out run at the Annoyance Theater as well as another sold-out play at Carnegie Hall. Her writing has appeared in McSweeney’s, Splitsider, The LA Review of Books, Rookie, Flaunt Magazine, Reductress, Reality Beach, and other cool places. She is from Ohio which is why she is nice.